Parantica aglea

Last updated

Glassy tiger
Glassy tiger (Parantica aglea aglea) female underside.jpg
Underside
Parantica aglea of Nayikayam Thattu.jpg
Upperside
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Parantica
Species:
P. aglea
Binomial name
Parantica aglea
(Stoll, 1782)
Synonyms

Danais aglea

Parantica aglea, commonly known as the glassy tiger, [1] [2] is a butterfly found in the Indomalayan realm. The species is a member of the Danainae subfamily of the Nymphalidae family. [1] [2]

Contents

Description

Two subspecies are recognized but neither form is consistent in markings or habitat. In the collection of the British Museum, there are specimens of true Parantica aglea aglea from Myanmar, and others, inseparable from typical Parantica aglea melanoides, from Mysore. [3]

Subspecies Parantica aglea aglea

Ground color is fuliginous black with subhyaline bluish-white streaks and spots. In the forewing, vein 11 is anastomosed with vein 12.

Subspecies Parantica aglea aglea in Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary Glassy Tiger.jpg
Subspecies Parantica aglea aglea in Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary

Interspace 1 of the upperside forewing has two comparatively long, broad streaks united at the base, which truncate exteriorly; cell with a very broad, somewhat clavate streak traversed by two fine black lines. Interspaces 2 and 3 display basal spots, an irregular discal series of three spots and two elongate streaks, and a subterminal series of spots, the two series curved inwards opposite the apex of the wing, the latter continued along the apical half of the costa; and finally a terminal row in pairs in the interspaces of much smaller spots.

Hindwing: interspaces la, lb with broad long streaks from base; interspace 1 and cell with two streaks united at base in each, the pair in the cell with a short streak obliquely between their apices, an outwardly radiating series of broad, elongate, inwardly pointed spots in interspaces 2–8, followed by somewhat irregular rows of subterminal and terminal spots. Underside similar, the markings and spots sometimes a little ill-defined and blurred. [3]

Antennae black; head and thorax black spotted with white; abdomen blackish brown, ochraceous beneath. Male secondary sex-mark in form 2. [3] [4]

Subspecies Parantica aglea melanoides

Subspecies Parantica aglea melanoides on Indian turnsole (Heliotropium indicum) at Jayanti in Buxa Tiger Reserve in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, India Glassy Tiger (Parantica aglea) on Indian Turnsole (Heliotropium indicum) at Jayanti, Duars, West Bengal W2 Picture 440.jpg
Subspecies Parantica aglea melanoides on Indian turnsole ( Heliotropium indicum ) at Jayanti in Buxa Tiger Reserve in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, India

Northern and eastern form. Differs as follows: Wings on the whole longer and narrower; hyaline markings, especially in interspace 1 of forewing and in cells of both forewing and hindwing, very much broader. In many specimens the black ground colour in these spaces is reduced to a mere slender black line enclosed in the subhyaline marking. On the underside the streaks are often much blurred and diffuse. [3]

Wingspan 70–100 mm.

Distribution

Subspecies Parantica aglea aglea: Sri Lanka, the Western Ghats north to Pune and the Niligiris. Subspecies Parantica aglea melanoides: the Himalayas from Kashmir to Nepal; Sylhet; Assam; Cachar; Chittagong; Arrakan; Burma and Tenasserim. [3]

Plate from Frederic Moore's The Lepidoptera of Ceylon depicting imago, larva and pupa MooreThe Lepidoptera of CeylonPlate2.jpg
Plate from Frederic Moore's The Lepidoptera of Ceylon depicting imago, larva and pupa

Life cycle

Food plants

Eggs

White pearl-shaped eggs are laid under leaves. They hatch after about three days. [5]

Larva

Dark claret brown, two round chrome-yellow spots on each segment, with scattered smaller bluish-white spots between, clustering into and forming a conspicuous line along the sides; legs and ventral surface purplish black, the tentacula, placed as usual on the 3rd and 12th segments, claret brown. [3]

The plants that host Parantica aglea larva include, Calotropis gigantea , Ceropegia bulbosa , Ceropegia lawii , Cryptolepis dubia , Vincetoxicum indicum , and Vincetoxicum flexuosum . [5]

Pupa

Green, spotted with silver, black, and gold; much constricted behind the thorax. [3]

Range

The species is present in the Western Ghats, north-east India, Sri Lanka and the Malay peninsula. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Tirumala limniace</i> Species of butterfly from Asia

Tirumala limniace, the blue tiger, is a butterfly found in South Asia, and Southeast Asia that belongs to the brush-footed butterfly family, Nymphalidae. More specifically it is part of the crows and tigers or danaid group. This butterfly shows gregarious migratory behaviour in southern India. In some places, it may be found in congregations with Danaus genutia, Tirumala septentrionis, Euploea sylvester, Euploea core, Parantica aglea, and at high elevations, with Parantica nilgiriensis, on Crotalaria.

<i>Elymnias hypermnestra</i> Species of butterfly

Elymnias hypermnestra, the common palmfly, is a species of satyrine butterfly found in South and Southeast Asia.

<i>Pareronia valeria</i> Species of butterfly

Pareronia valeria, the common wanderer or Malayan wanderer, is a medium-sized butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites, and is found in India and Southeast Asia. The butterfly found in India is sometimes considered as a separate species, Pareronia hippia.

<i>Papilio polymnestor</i> Species of butterfly

Papilio polymnestor, the blue Mormon, is a large swallowtail butterfly found in south India and Sri Lanka. It is the "state butterfly" of the Indian state of Maharashtra. With a wingspan of 120–150 mm, it is the fourth largest butterfly of India.

<i>Papilio agestor</i> Species of butterfly

Papilio (Chilasa) agestor, the tawny mime, is a swallowtail butterfly, native to Indian subcontinent and widely found across Asia. The butterfly belongs to the mime subgenus, Chilasa, of the genus Papilio or the black-bodied swallowtails.

<i>Papilio clytia</i> Species of butterfly

Papilio clytia, the common mime, is a swallowtail butterfly found in south and southeast Asia. The butterfly belongs to the subgenus Chilasa, the black-bodied swallowtails. It serves as an excellent example of a Batesian mimic among the Indian butterflies.

<i>Papilio epycides</i> Species of butterfly

Papilio (Chilasa) epycides, the lesser mime, is a swallowtail butterfly found in India and parts of South-East Asia. The butterfly belongs to the mime (Chilasa) subgenus or the black-bodied swallowtails. It is a mimic of a common Indian Danainae, the glassy tiger butterfly.

<i>Papilio paradoxa</i> Species of butterfly

Papilio (Chilasa) paradoxa, the great blue mime, is a swallowtail butterfly found in India and parts of South-East Asia. The butterfly belongs to the mime subgenus, Chilasa, of the genus Papilio. It is an excellent mimic of different species of Euploea.

<i>Parnassius charltonius</i> Species of butterfly

Parnassius charltonius, the regal Apollo, is a high-altitude butterfly which is found in India. It is a member of the snow Apollo genus (Parnassius) of the swallowtail family (Papilionidae). This handsome butterfly is found at altitudes from 9,000 to 13,000 feet from Chitral to Kumaon.

<i>Aporia agathon</i> Species of butterfly

Aporia agathon, the great blackvein, is a mid-sized butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites, which is found in Nepal, India, China and Southeast Asia.

<i>Parantica melaneus</i> Species of butterfly

Parantica melaneus, is a butterfly found in Asia that belongs to the crows and tigers, that is, the danaid group of the brush-footed butterflies family.

<i>Parantica sita</i> Species of butterfly

Parantica sita, the chestnut tiger, is a butterfly found in Asia that belongs to the crows and tigers, that is, the danaid group of the brush-footed butterflies family.

<i>Parantica nilgiriensis</i> Species of butterfly

Parantica nilgiriensis, the Nilgiri tiger, is a butterfly found in the Western Ghats of India south of the Konkan. It belongs to the danaid group of the brush-footed butterflies family.

<i>Euploea mulciber</i> Species of butterfly

Euploea mulciber, the striped blue crow, is a butterfly found in India and Southeast Asia that belongs to the crows and tigers, that is, the danaid group of the brush-footed butterflies family.

<i>Euploea klugii</i> Species of butterfly

Euploea klugii, the brown king crow or king crow, is a butterfly from the family Nymphalidae found in India and Southeast Asia. The species was first described by the entomologist Frederic Moore in 1858.

<i>Idea malabarica</i> Species of butterfly

Idea malabarica, the Malabar tree nymph, is a large butterfly found in peninsular India. that belongs to the danaid group of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in forest clearings and above the forest canopy.

<i>Jamides bochus</i> Species of butterfly

Jamides bochus, the dark cerulean, is a small butterfly found in Indomalayan realm that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family. The species was first described by Caspar Stoll in 1782.

<i>Ideopsis vulgaris</i> Species of butterfly

Ideopsis vulgaris, the blue glassy tiger, is a butterfly that belongs to the crows and tigers, that is, the danaid group of the brush-footed butterflies family.

<i>Argynnis hyperbius</i> Species of butterfly

The Indian fritillary is a species of butterfly of the nymphalid or brush-footed family. It is usually found from south and southeast Asia to Australia.

<i>Pareronia hippia</i> Species of butterfly

Pareronia hippia, the common wanderer or Indian wanderer, is a medium-sized butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites. It is found in India. Some authors consider this as a subspecies of Pareronia valeria.

References

  1. 1 2 Varshney, R.K.; Smetacek, Peter (2015). A Synoptic Catalogue of the Butterflies of India. New Delhi: Butterfly Research Centre, Bhimtal & Indinov Publishing. p. 150. doi:10.13140/RG.2.1.3966.2164. ISBN   978-81-929826-4-9.
  2. 1 2 Savela, Markku. "Parantica aglea (Stoll, [1782])". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 PD-icon.svg One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain : Bingham, Charles Thomas (1907). Fauna of British India. Butterflies Vol. 2. Taylor & Francis. pp. 18–19.
  4. PD-icon.svg One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain : Moore, Frederic (1890–1892). Lepidoptera Indica. Vol. I. London: Lovell Reeve and Co. pp. 55–57.
  5. 1 2 "Parantica aglea (Stoll, [1782]) - Glassy Tiger | Butterfly". www.ifoundbutterflies.org. Retrieved 2023-06-07.